"We will start registering potential customers after the Moscow auto show, but simply physically we will not be able to start exports next year. All produced cars will be sold in Russia. We proceed from the fact that we can starts exports at the end of 2020 - not earlier," Manturov noted.

Earlier Manturov said that Russian premium cars of Cortege project will be offered in retail from 2019 and will be available in any configuration.

Cortege cars production will be 70 vehicles in 2018, 200 in 2019, and 300 in 2020, the minister said. The ministry plans to increase Cortege vehicles production to more than 1,000 units per year after 2020, he added.

Cortege is a project for building a family of cars for senior government officials - a limousine, a sedan, an off-road vehicle and a minivan. The limousine was unveiled at President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration in early May. After the vehicles are ready in all of their modifications for government officials, they will be freely sold on the market.

Cortege cars may go green

Aurus cars of the Cortege project, which are now manufactured with a hybrid system, may become fully electric in the future, Manturov pointed out.

"We designed the car in such a way that it allows modifications later on. In the long term, we can turn it into all-electric vehicle," he said.

Cortege is a project for building a family of cars for senior government officials - a limousine, a sedan, an off-road vehicle and a minivan. The limousine was unveiled at President Vladimir Putin’s inauguration in early May. After the vehicles are ready in all of their modifications for government officials, they will be freely sold on the market.